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(No Model.)

H. P. MERRIAM. PERMISSION FUSE.

Patented Mar. l, 1892".

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l UN-TTnn STATT-rs PATENT @Tirreno HENRY P. MERRIAM, OF NE\Y YORK, N. Y.

PRCUSSlGNeEUSE.

SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,887, dated March l, 1892.

Application filed June 4,1891. Serial No. 395,081. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known' that l, HENRY P. MERRIAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of'New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Percussion-Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to fuses for shells, but more particularly to that class known aspercussionfusesforpowder-shells,

and while designed more especially as a base-- fuse may with slight modification be used as a head-fuse.

The invention has for its object,'amon g other things, to provide a simple and effective percussion-fuse, that is perfectly safe against...

premature explosion, but which upon the liring of the shell is certain in its action.

To this end the improvement consists in combining with the percussion-hammer a rejrainer or removable abutment therefor, holding it to. its' seat or normally preventing it from moving and a trip for the retainer or abutment movable at the time of firing, either when used in -a base-f use by the pressure of the tiring-charge or when, used as a head-fuse bythe pressure of the atmosphere at the moment of iiight.

It also consists in certain details and combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth.

As a better understanding of the improvement may be had by a detailed description thereof, such description will now be given, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a longitudinal sectional elevation of a base-fuse provided with the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 representsby a face and side elevation one of Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. illustrating modified forms of the invention. l

Referring to said drawings, it will be undei-stood that the fuse is represented as arranged at the hase of a shell A, (partially indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1,) and that the fuse i5 in the main consists in a fuse-case b, which contains apercnssion-hammer c, a seat or seats for a cap e, and an igniting-charge c'.

Vthe hammer which will confine the hammer to a central position in the chamber independent of any similar function of the retainer or retainers, to be hereinafter explained, and also in aidof their proper action. The hammerchamber is closed by the other portion 11 of the fuse-case, which is formedV with one or more radial openings 2, in which is seated the cap e, each opening being in communication lby an inclined passage 3 with a central front recess l5, containing the igniting-charge. The openings 2 to the cap-seats (which otherwise might beformed by nipples extending into the hammer-chamber) each preferably contain a tiring-pin l in the form of a sphere, which, projecting partially into the hammerchamber, are readily struck by the hammer in its percussion movement. The hammer c is held to its seat or against the rear wall of the chamber by one or more retainers a, shown in Fig. l and in detail in Fig. 3 as consisting of a strip adapted to be interposed between a shoulder on thefuse-ease and a shoulder 2 on the percussion-hammer. The retainer-strip in the form shown in Fig. 1 is duplicated one on each side of the hammer, and is formed with two diverging spring-fingers a. vand a central nger 0.2. The lingers lie in a circumferential recess in the hammer and against the shoulder formed theleby and act as separated struts, the two spring-lingers a having suicient elasticity to secure and guard the retainer against accidental displacement when the fuse is subjected to jar in ordinary handling. The shoulder on the fuse-case may be formed by a projection from either the portions l0 or ll thereof, but preferably provided by an adJ ustable annuius i, screwed into thebther portion 10 immediately ahead ol the portion 11, Each of the retainer-strips a is provided with a teat or projection 5, that extends partially into a perforation 6, thereby holding the retainerfrom slippingout of place, and also extends in the path of a movable trip m and tends to oppose its movement, for a purpose to be described. The movable trips m are arranged at diametrically-opposite points and longitudinally in the portion of the fuse-case, and each consists, as shown in Fig-1, of a pin having an enlarged head 7, fitting an enlargement of the perforation, said enlargement opening outward to the rear of the fuse-case. l'lhe head of the trip is provided with a packing-disk to prevent the escape of pressure past the head, and to protect the trip and prevent it from accidently falling out of place the rear opening of the perforation is guarded bya perforated disk 8.

The structure so far described is such that at the moment of firing the shell with the improved fuse the pressure produced in tiring enters the openings in the rear of the fusecase and acts directly upon the heads of the trips m to force them longitudinally forward in the fuse-case, so that their ends strikethe retainers or the projections thereon and forces them of the shoulder formed by the aunulus 4, so that no longer supported they fall inwardly toward the hammer, thus entirely freeing the lat ter. During the flight of the shell the hammer remains in its position against the rear wall of the chamber until the moment of impact of the shell with its target, when the hammer under momentum suddenly moves forward and strikes one or more of the tiring-pins 1 and explodes the caps. The hammer is thus released from the holding action of the retainers at the moment of Iiring by the pressure of the firing-charge acting against the heads of the trips to move them longitudinally inward against the retainers.

To aid in sustaining the hammer against the rear wall of its chamber, a spring 9 is preferably employed, interposed in a central recess in the portion 1l of the fuse-case and the hammer. 'lhis spring, while it may obviously be of any suitable form, is shown as formed by a volute strip or ribbon.

The igniting-charge is contained in the central recess of an elongation 21 of the portion 11 of the fuse-case, being also partially con! tained and held in place by a hollow plug 25, screwed into elongation. This ignitiugcharge provides for the required delay in transmitting the dame from the cap to the bursting-charge of the shellgand it consists of time tr of the usual composition, such as mealed powder or rocket compost tion firmly compressed in 'the plug 25. Llhc circumference c" lis groovedto provide one or 65 1G for supple teaser nieation with the interior of the plug and the ignitingcharge therein by ducts 17, the pocket or pockets for the supplementary charge being closed by a thin fragile sleeve 1S. ln front of this time-train there is placed a small quantity of quick-burning powder 28, which also fills the ducts 17, and the supplementary charge may also be formed of the same material, filling the pockets 16 and the ducts 17a. lfVith this arrangement of the igniting-charge the explosion of the cap e through the passage 13 and chamber 15 ignites the time-train, the gases therefrom escape rearward through the relief-vent 2G into the hammer-chamber, thus relieving the chamber 15 thereof, and as soon as the flame reaches the quick-burning charge 2S it dashes either directly outward through the central perforation 27 of the plug or by the ducts 17 and 17 to the supplementary charge inthe pockets 1G. Should the gases accumulating in the hammerchamber exceed a certain pressure, such pressure may act to force either one or both of the trips m rearward from the fuse-case, so that the gases mayescape by the perforations G wholly therefrom, the said trips acting in thisinstance as relief plugs or valves opening outward. The head of the plug 25 (it might be the end of the elongation 2l) is slightly greater in diameter than the elongation 2l, so as to overhang or project beyond the latter and aid in preventing the burstingcharge of the shell from packing tightly around said elongation and in rear of the head of the plug. By this means should the Haine fail to escape by the central perforation 27 by reason of this packing of the powder against it, due to the inertia of the powder at the time of firing the shell, it will pass by the ducts 17 tothe rear of the head to the loosely-packed powder of the shell and by the other ducts 17L to the supplementary charge, thus insuring the igniting of the bursting-charge.

In Fig. 4 the retainer avis illustrated as formed of a metal annulus with a number of spring-lingers projecting therefrom adapted to be compressed and lie against the wall of the hammer-chamber with their ends against t-he circumferential shoulder on the hammer. This retainer-annulus is likewise provided with projections 5, extending into the path of the trips m, which in this instance upon movement under the ring pressure bend said projections inwardly from resting against the aunulus t, thus freeing the retainer, which under the elasticity of its iingersagainst the wall of the hammer-chamber move it forward, so that the ngers` are withdrawn lfrom the shoulder of the hammer and occupy the position shown in dottedlines. The retainer remains in this position during the flight of the shell, and at the moment of impact the hammer moves foi-v v.rd and strikes one or more of the iirin les, evpiodes the cap, and lires th, ge ontained bythe eheh he same features of' invention IIO lease? illustrated in a different form, the general structure of 'the fuse remaining the same. The hammer in this Case carriesa rearwardlyprojecting pin i9, extending into a hollow rear extension 20ct the tuseoase, which opens out rearwardly and is guarded by the perforated plate S, asin Fig. l. rlhe pinis formed with a head, and between this head and a shoulder in thecase the retainer a is located. 'lhis retainer isore annularconieal i'orm,with its forward portion divided into a number of fingers (which form projections extendingin the path of the trip)- resting upon, the shoulder in the fuse-case and holding the hammer firmly to its seat against the rear wall of its chamber. In rear of this retainer is placed the trip m, mounted to slide in the hollow eXtensioIrQO. The trip is ot plunger form, recessed to straddle the pin 19 and the retainer, and carries a packing-disk on its head, as before. At the moment of tiring the pressure, acting against the head ofthe trip, moves it inwardly against the retainer, compresses its iingers, and r'emoves their ends from the shoulder against which they rest, thus freeing the hammer, which at the momentof impact moves forward with the pin and retainer to strike one or more of the tiring-pins, as before. The plug 25 is adapted to be readily removed fromthe fuse-case and replaced'by other similar'plugs containing different burning or iguiting charges suited to the work to be done' or the character ot' the target against which the shell is to be used. For instance, such charges should be varied according to the time at which it is desired the bursting of the shell should occur, varying, also, with the degree `ot' penetration desired before bursting and the nature ot' the target, whether it be earth-works, a lightly-armored vessel, or an ironlclad.

No claim is herein made for the combination, with a hammer, of a stop normally preventing its movement and an independent trip for releasing said stop to allow the hammer to operate,nor to such combination when the arms of the stop yieldor wherein the stop is composed of a series'ot yielding arms, as the same forms the subject-matter of a companion application filed November 22, 1890, Serial No. 372,282, the trip in the present case being limited to one that is exppsed to the tiring-pressure of the charge which propels the projectile from the gun.

l. In a fuse, the combination, with the hammer and -the cap, ot' an independent retainer interposed between the ham mer and a shoulder on the fuse-case, and a trip exposed to the ring pressure, whereby it is moved at the time of tiring to move the retainer from the shoulder and thus free the hammer, substantially as described.

2. In a fuse, the combination, with the ham'- mer and the cap, of an independent retainer holding the hammer against movement, and

tending into the path of movement of the trip to be struck thereby and tending to oppose such movement, substantially as described.

it. The combination, with the hammer and the cap,iof an independent retainer for the hammer, supported at diametrically=0pposito points, and a pair of trips exposed to andmoved by pressure at the time of iiringtostrike the retainer .to release the hammer, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the hammer and the cap, of an independent retainer for the hammer, resting at one end against a shoulder on the fuse-case and at the other in a recess in the hammer, and a trip exposed to and moved by pressure at the time of tiring against the retainer to move it from the shoulder to release the hammer, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the hammer and the cap, of a retainer for the hammer, an adjustable annulus against which the retainer rests, and a trip for dislodging the retainer from the annulus and freeing the hammer, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the hammer and the cap, of an independent retainer for the hammer, a trip for dislodging the retainer and freeing the hammer, and a spring tending to resist the movement of the hammer, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the fuse-case containing a hammer and a cap, of an overhanging or projecting head extending from the front of the fuse-case and into the magazinev cavity, and a duct extending from the cap to the rear of said head, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the fuse-case containing a hammer and a cap, of an elongation to said fuse-ease projecting within the magazine-cavity and containing an igniting-charge in communication with the cap, and a supplementary igniting-charge exterior of said elongation of the fuse-case in connection with said igniting charge, substantially as described.

.10. The combination,with the fuse-ease oontaining a hammer and a cap, of an ignitingcharge within the casea supplementary iguiting-charge exterior of the case, and a proteeting fragile sleeve, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with the fuse-case con` ,taining a hammer and a cap, of a removable plug holding the igniting-charge, said plug IOO having a head @monding beyond the adjacent In testimony whereof I have hereunto set portion of the :fuse-oase and into the magamy-hemd, this 3d day of June, A. D. 1891, in zine-cavity, substantially as deserbed. the presence of two witnesses.

,12. Thecombhacongwiththefuse-easeeon- 5 taining a hammerl and a cap, of a chamber in .HENRY P. MERRIAM.

the fuse-case for an ignting-charge in oommunicatiou'wth'the (cap, a relief-Veut from EVnesses: said'chamber, ande trip adapted to open out- N. MARLER, wald from the fuse-case, substantially as de- GEO. H. GRAHAM.

1o scribed. 

